Audio from Tonight's 'Read the Bible in a Year' Discussion

We talked about Numbers, chapters 16-36.

For more on the relationship between Numbers 21 and John 3:14, see here.

For more on Asclepius, from which the American Medical Association symbol is more directly derived, see here.

One known mistake is when cited 1 Corinthians 15, when I meant 1 Corinthians 11:29-30.

Curious About God's Will for Your Life?

"The more devoted you become to learning and living God's Word, the more you'll sense his divine voice in your life...You and I must be so saturated with the Word of God [here meaning the Bible] that when we're caught off-guard by life's circumstances, we reflexively hear his wisdom, his nudges, his whispers through his words that dwell within us." Bill Hybels, The Power of a Whisper: Hearing God. Having the Guts to Respond, 2010. (p.118 & pp.135-136)

God will never impart advice through a friend or give you a feeling that is inconsistent with His character and will as revealed on the pages of the Bible.

Heaven

"Heaven, in the Bible, is not a future destiny but the other, hidden, dimension of our ordinary life--God's dimension, if you like. God mad heaven and earth; at the last he will remake both and join them together forever." N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church, 2008.

Reading the Bible in a Year: The List of Readings

For those who are interested in joining with the people of Saint Matthew Lutheran Church in Logan, Ohio, as we read through the Bible in a year, starting on March 9, here's the complete list of readings for the coming year.

2011
March 9: Genesis 1-3
March 10: Genesis 4-6
March 11: Genesis 7-9
March 12: Genesis 10-12
March 13: Genesis 13-15
March 14: Genesis 16-18
March 15: Genesis 19-21
March 16: Genesis 22-24
March 17: Genesis 25-27
March 18: Genesis 28-30
March 19: Genesis 31-33
March 20: Genesis 34-36
March 21: Genesis 37-39
March 22: Genesis 40-42
March 23: Genesis 43-46
March 24: Genesis 47-50
March 25: Exodus 1-3
March 26: Exodus 4-6
March 27: Exodus 7-9
March 28: Exodus 10-12
March 29: Exodus 13-15
March 30: Exodus 16-18
March 31: Exodus 19-21
April 1: Exodus 22-24
April 2: Exodus 25-27
April 3: Exodus 28-30
April 4: Exodus 31-33
April 5: Exodus 34-36
April 6: Exodus 37-40
April 7: Leviticus 1-3
April 8: Leviticus 4-6
April 9: Leviticus 7-9
April 10: Leviticus 10-12
April 11: Leviticus 13-15
April 12: Leviticus 16-18
April 13: Leviticus 19-21
April 14: Leviticus 22-24
April 15: Leviticus 25-27
April 16: Numbers 1-3
April 17: Numbers 4-6
April 18: Numbers 7-9
April 19: Numbers 10-12
April 20: Numbers 13-15
April 21: Numbers 16-18
April 22: Numbers 19-21
April 23: Numbers 22-24
April 24: Numbers 25-27
April 25: Numbers 28-30
April 26: Numbers 31-33
April 27: Numbers 34-36
April 28: Deuteronomy 1-3
April 29: Deuteronomy 4-6
April 30: Deuteronomy 7-9
May 1: Deuteronomy 10-12
May 2: Deuteronomy 13-15
May 3: Deuteronomy 16-18
May 4: Deuteronomy 19-21
May 5: Deuteronomy 22-24
May 6: Deuteronomy 25-27
May 7: Deuteronomy 28-30
May 8: Deuteronomy 31-34
May 9: Joshua 1-3
May 10: Joshua 4-6
May 11: Joshua 7-9
May 12: Joshua 10-12
May 13: Joshua 13-15
May 14: Joshua 16-18
May 15: Joshua 19-21
May 16: Joshua 22-24
May 17: Judges 1-3
May 18: Judges 4-6
May 19: Judges 7-9
May 20: Judges 10-12
May 21: Judges 13-15
May 22: Judges 16-18
May 23: Judges 19-21
May 24: Ruth 1-4
May 25: 1 Samuel 1-3
May 26: 1 Samuel 4-6
May 27: 1 Samuel 7-9
May 28: 1 Samuel 10-12
May 29: 1 Samuel 13-15
May 30: 1 Samuel 16-18
May 31: 1 Samuel 19-21
June 1: 1 Samuel 22-24
June 2: 1 Samuel 25-27
June 3: 1 Samuel 28-31
June 4: 2 Samuel 1-3
June 5: 2 Samuel 4-6
June 6: 2 Samuel 7-9
June 7: 2 Samuel 10-12
June 8: 2 Samuel 13-15
June 9: 2 Samuel 16-18
June 10: 2 Samuel 19-21
June 11: 2 Samuel 22-24
June 12: 1 Kings 1-3
June 13: 1 Kings 4-6
June 14: 1 Kings 7-9
June 15: 1 Kings 10-12
June 16: 1 Kings 13-15
June 17: 1 Kings 16-18
June 18: 1 Kings 19-22
June 19: 2 Kings 1-3
June 20: 2 Kings 4-6
June 21: 2 Kings 7-9
June 22: 2 Kings 10-12
June 23: 2 Kings 13-15
June 24: 2 Kings 16-18
June 25: 2 Kings 19-21
June 26: 2 Kings 22-25
June 27: 1 Chronicles 1-6
June 28: 1 Chronicles 7-9
June 29: 1 Chronicles 10-12
June 30: 1 Chronicles 13-15
July 1: 1 Chronicles 16-18
July 2: 1 Chronicles 19-21
July 3: 1 Chronicles 22-25
July 4: 1 Chronicles 26-29
July 5: 2 Chronicles 1-3
July 6: 2 Chronicles 4-6
July 7: 2 Chronicles 7-9
July 8: 2 Chronicles 10-12
July 9: 2 Chronicles 13-15
July 10: 2 Chronicles 16-18
July 11: 2 Chronicles 19-21
July 12: 2 Chronicles 22-24
July 13: 2 Chronicles 25-27
July 14: 2 Chronicles 28-30
July 15: 2 Chronicles 31-33
July 16: 2 Chronicles 34-36
July 17: Ezra 1-3
July 18: Ezra 4-6
July 19: Ezra 7-10
July 20: Nehemiah 1-3
July 21: Nehemiah 4-6
July 22: Nehemiah 7-9
July 23: Nehemiah 10-13
July 24: Esther 1-3
July 25: Esther 4-6
July 26: Esther 7-10
July 27: Job 1-3
July 28: Job 4-6
July 29: Job 7-9
July 30: Job 10-12
July 31: Job 13-15
August 1: Job 16-18
August 2: Job 19-21
August 3: Job 22-24
August 4: Job 25-27
August 5: Job 28-30
August 6: Job 31-33
August 7: Job 34-36
August 8: Job 37-39
August 9: Job 40-42
August 10: Psalms 1-5
August 11: Psalms 6-10
August 12: Psalms 11-15
August 13: Psalms 16-20
August 14: Psalms 21-25
August 15: Psalms 26-30
August 16: Psalms 31-35
August 17: Psalms 36-40
August 18: Psalms 41-45
August 19: Psalms 46-50
August 20: Psalms 51-55
August 21: Psalms 56-60
August 22: Psalms 61-65
August 23: Psalms 66-70
August 24: Psalms 71-75
August 25: Psalms 76-80
August 26: Psalms 81-85
August 27: Psalms 86-90
August 28: Psalms 91-95
August 29: Psalms 96-100
August 30: Psalms 101-105
August 31: Psalms 106-110
September 1: Psalms 111-115
September 2: Psalms 116-120
September 3: Psalms 121-125
September 4: Psalms 126-130
September 5: Psalms 131-135
September 6: Psalms 136-140
September 7: Psalms 141-145
September 8: Psalms 146-150
September 9: Proverbs 1-3
September 10: Proverbs 4-6
September 11: Proverbs 7-9
September 12: Proverbs 10-12
September 13: Proverbs 13-15
September 14: Proverbs 16-18
September 15: Proverbs 19-21
September 16: Proverbs 22-24
September 17: Proverbs 25-27
September 18: Proverbs 28-31
September 19: Ecclesiastes 1-3
September 20: Ecclesiastes 4-6
September 21: Ecclesiastes 7-9
September 22: Ecclesiastes 10-12
September 23: Song of Songs 1-4
September 24: Song of Songs 5-8
September 25: Isaiah 1-3
September 26: Isaiah 4-6
September 27: Isaiah 7-9
September 28: Isaiah 10-12
September 29: Isaiah 13-15
September 30: Isaiah 16-18
October 1: Isaiah 19-21
October 2: Isaiah 22-24
October 3: Isaiah 25-27
October 4: Isaiah 28-30
October 5: Isaiah 31-33
October 6: Isaiah 34-36
October 7: Isaiah 37-39
October 8: Isaiah 40-42
October 9: Isaiah 43-45
October 10: Isaiah 46-48
October 11: Isaiah 49-51
October 12: Isaiah 52-54
October 13: Isaiah 55-57
October 14: Isaiah 58-60
October 15: Isaiah 61-63
October 16: Isaiah 64-66
October 17: Jeremiah 1-3
October 18: Jeremiah 4-6
October 19: Jeremiah 7-9
October 20: Jeremiah 10-12
October 21: Jeremiah 13-15
October 22: Jeremiah 16-18
October 23: Jeremiah 19-21
October 24: Jeremiah 22-24
October 25: Jeremiah 25-27
October 26: Jeremiah 28-30
October 27: Jeremiah 31-33
October 28: Jeremiah 34-36
October 29: Jeremiah 37-39
October 30: Jeremiah 40-42
October 31: Jeremiah 43-45
November 1: Jeremiah 46-48
November 2: Jeremiah 49-52
November 3: Lamentations 1-3
November 4: Lamentations 4-5
November 5: Ezekiel 1-3
November 6: Ezekiel 4-6
November 7: Ezekiel 7-9
November 8: Ezekiel 10-12
November 9: Ezekiel 13-15
November 10: Ezekiel 16-18
November 11: Ezekiel 19-21
November 12: Ezekiel 22-24
November 13: Ezekiel 25-27
November 14: Ezekiel 28-30
November 15: Ezekiel 31-33
November 16: Ezekiel 34-36
November 17: Ezekiel 37-40
November 18: Ezekiel 41-44
November 19: Ezekiel 45-48
November 20: Daniel 1-3
November 21: Daniel 4-6
November 22: Daniel 7-9
November 23: Daniel 10-12
November 24: Hosea 1-3
November 25: Hosea 4-6
November 26: Hosea 7-10
November 27: Hosea 11-14
November 28: Joel 1-3
November 29: Amos 1-3
November 30: Amos 4-6
December 1: Amos 7-9
December 2: Obadiah
December 3: Jonah 1-4
December 4: Micah 1-3
December 5: Micah 4-7
December 6: Nahum 1-3
December 7: Habakkuk 1-3
December 8: Zephaniah 1-3
December 9: Haggai 1-2
December 10: Zechariah 1-3
December 11: Zechariah 4-6
December 12: Zechariah 7-10
December 13: Zechariah 11-14
December 14: Malachi 1-2
December 15: Malachi 3-4
December 16: Matthew 1-3
December 17: Matthew 4-6
December 18: Matthew 7-9
December 19: Matthew 10-12
December 20: Matthew 13-15
December 21: Matthew 16-18
December 22: Matthew 19-21
December 23: Matthew 22-24
December 24: Matthew 25-28
December 25: Mark 1-3
December 26: Mark 4-6
December 27: Mark 7-9
December 28: Mark 10-12
December 29: Mark 13-16
December 30: Luke 1-3
December 31: Luke 4-6

2012
January 1: Luke 7-9
January 2: Luke 10-12
January 3: Luke 13-15
January 4: Luke 16-18
January 5: Luke 19-21
January 6: Luke 22-24
January 7: John 1-3
January 8: John 4-6
January 9: John 7-9
January 10: John 10-12
January 11: John 13-15
January 12: John 16-18
January 13: John 19-21
January 14: Acts 1-3
January 15: Acts 4-6
January 16: Acts 7-9
January 17: Acts 10-12
January 18: Acts 13-15
January 19: Acts 16-18
January 20: Acts 19-21
January 21: Acts 22-24
January 22: Acts 25-28
January 23: Romans 1-3
January 24: Romans 4-6
January 25: Romans 7-9
January 26: Romans 10-12
January 27: Romans 13-16
January 28: 1 Corinthians 1-3
January 29: 1 Corinthians 4-6
January 30: 1 Corinthians 7-9
January 31: 1 Corinthians 10-12
February 1: 1 Corinthians 13-16
February 2: 2 Corinthians 1-3
February 3: 2 Corinthians 4-6
February 4: 2 Corinthians 7-9
February 5: 2 Corinthians 10-13
February 6: Galatians 1-3
February 7: Galatians 4-6
February 8: Ephesians 1-3
February 9: Ephesians 4-6
February 10: Philippians 1-4
February 11: Colossians 1-4
February 12: 1 Thessalonians 1-5
February 13: 2 Thessalonians 1-3
February 14: 1 Timothy 1-3
February 15: 1 Timothy 4-6
February 16: 2 Timothy 1-4
February 17: Titus 1-3
February 18: Philemon
February 19: Hebrews 1-3
February 20: Hebrews 4-6
February 21: Hebrews 7-9
February 22: Hebrews 10-13
February 23: James 1-3
February 24: James 4-5
February 25: 1 Peter 1-5
February 26: 2 Peter 1-3
February 27: 1 John 1-3
February 28: 1 John 4-5
February 29: 2 John, 3 John, and Jude
March 1: Revelation 1-3
March 2: Revelation 4-6
March 3: Revelation 7-9
March 4: Revelation 10-12
March 5: Revelation 13-15
March 6: Revelation 16-18
March 7: Revelation 19-22

Making Sense of the World

Ambrosiaster, the designation given by Erasmus to an unidentified Church Father active sometime between 366 and 384AD, is considered by many to be the most insightful, accurate commentator on Paul's writings in the New Testament before the commentaries of Martin Luther (1483-1546) and other sixteenth-century reforming Biblical scholars came along.

Ambrosiaster is cited in an entry for this coming Sunday's second Bible lesson, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, in Ancient Christian Devotional: A Year of Weekly Readings, Lectionary Cycle A.

I wish that contemporary Christians would all read these words, an encouragement to those who adhere to a reverential view of the Bible and a correction to those who regard the central teachings of Scripture (and the confessions of the Church) as optional.

Ambrosiaster also affirms the power of the Biblical witness without additions or subtractions on the parts of those trying to make the Gospel more palatable to unbelieving or skeptical people.

This is Ambrosiaster's take on why Jesus called fishers to preach His Word:

It was because Christian preaching does not need elaborate refinement of verbal expression that fishers, who were uneducated, were chosen to preach the gospel. In that way the truth of the message would be its own recommendation, and it would not depend on the cleverness or ingenuity of human wisdom. The false apostles were doing just that, and moreover they were omitting the things which the world does not believe, like the virgin birth of Christ and his resurrection from the dead.

Our call as Christians is, on the one hand, to lower those cultural barriers that might prevent others from knowing and following Jesus Christ. That's why the use of contemporary music and language in worship are good things. Doing so makes Christ accessible to those who don't know Him. (And that, for we Lutheran Christians, is a central component of the ongoing Reformation project begun by Luther.)

On the other hand, we have no authority from Christ to change the content of the Bible's teaching. As Rick Warren has memorably said of the Church's relation to the Biblical message it's called to proclaim: "The package must always change. The content of the package must never change."*

Recently, my wife Ann was asked by a friend about what is going on in Haiti, where our son, along with his girlfriend and others from the congregation of which they're a part, plan to go to work with children at a vacation Bible school this coming summer. "Why do you suppose that country can't get things together in spite of all the help they're getting?" Ann was asked. Massive poverty, massive destruction after last year's earthquake, and a long history of political corruption and despotism were all reasons Ann cited. And, she added, that one can't discount one legacy of Voodooism in the country's troubles: demon possession.

"You don't believe that?" the other person asked Ann. "Of course I do," she said.

The fact that the Bible teaches about the existence of demon-possession and that Christ, Who cast out demons, believed in this phenomenon, should be enough to convince any Christian that demons do wreak havoc in our world.

But so should experience. As a young pastor, I participated in a weekly study with a group of pastors that included Mennonites and Lutherans. One Lutheran clergy about a decade older than me said that he had never believed in angels or especially, in their fallen counterparts, demons. An older Lutheran colleague, who was far from being a Biblical fundamentalist, shocked the first pastor by saying, "If you don't believe that there are demons, you either haven't been paying attention or you're naive."

Ambrosiaster's comments indicate that the teachings of the Bible have always aroused skepticism. There's nothing new or sophisticated about the doubts we may have when the Bible speaks of angels, demons, the virgin birth of Jesus, Jesus' resurrection, and other teachings. Faith doesn't come naturally to us. It's a supernatural phenomenon created by God in believers. (That's why believers can never see themselves as being superior to unbelievers in any way.)

But if we approach the Bible and Christian faith with a willingness to believe, a willingness to trust in God and in God's Word, we might find God not only constructing faith in our lives. We might well conclude that faith in the God revealed in Jesus Christ is the only thing that allows us to make sense of our world or ourselves.

All that and heaven too. What a deal!

*My paraphrase from memory.

Why we get "bored" with the Bible...and other worthwhile things

"The unspoken secret is that many people find the Bible boring. This is a serious problem and a quite recent one. Ancient Greek* had no word for boredom. The word did not have its current meaning in English until the last few centuries. We look at the ancient world, and they had no television, no Internet, no movies, no iTunes, and virtually no books--and we think of how boring it must have been.

"But the ancients were not bored. We are the ones who get bored because our capacity to focus our attention, to delight our minds in sustained thought, has been weakened by our dependence on external stimuli." (John Ortberg in The Me I Want to Be)

Our capacity not only to read God's Word, but to lead useful, fulfilling lives in general, increasingly depends on our capacity to break away from the crowd to read, to think, to use the minds God gave us, instead of the hapless victim impulse and the unreflective herd mentality.

This Book Looks Really Promising!

Tonight, I started reading the second edition of a book called Roman House Churches for Today: A Practical Guide for Small Groups.

Don't be put off by what may seem like a sleepy title!

Roman House Churches can be read simply as a fascinating and sometimes, startling, look at the lives of the people to whom the apostle Paul wrote the letter which has come down to us in our New Testament as Romans.

But author Reta Halteman Finger also wrote the book to be the foundation for a fascinating role-play approach for modern adult students to get at how Paul's letter would have been heard and experienced by its first recipients, what the social, political, and economic conditions of their lives were, and what Paul's motives may have been--beyond finances, which Finger seems to believe wasn't a primary focus of the apostle--for enlisting the help of the Roman Christians in his planned evangelistic mission to Spain.

Finger insists that Romans should be seen as more than a musty book of doctrines or a source of proof-texts. Still less, she seems to say, should it be seen as lofty theology without reference to the specifics of history. So far, Finger has me convinced and I'm reading her book with rapt attention!

I'm not far into the book yet. But it looks promising.

So, watch out, Saint Matthew folks, this may be our next adult evening discussion/study group resource!